The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

After this attack it was not long but he found an opportunity to catch

me again, and almost in the same posture; indeed, it had more of design

in it on his part, though not on my part. It was thus: the young

ladies were all gone a-visiting with their mother; his brother was out

of town; and as for his father, he had been in London for a week

before. He had so well watched me that he knew where I was, though I

did not so much as know that he was in the house; and he briskly comes

up the stairs and, seeing me at work, comes into the room to me

directly, and began just as he did before, with taking me in his arms,

and kissing me for almost a quarter of an hour together.

It was his younger sister's chamber that I was in, and as there was

nobody in the house but the maids below-stairs, he was, it may be, the

ruder; in short, he began to be in earnest with me indeed. Perhaps he

found me a little too easy, for God knows I made no resistance to him

while he only held me in his arms and kissed me; indeed, I was too well

pleased with it to resist him much.

However, as it were, tired with that kind of work, we sat down, and

there he talked with me a great while; he said he was charmed with me,

and that he could not rest night or day till he had told me how he was

in love with me, and, if I was able to love him again, and would make

him happy, I should be the saving of his life, and many such fine

things. I said little to him again, but easily discovered that I was a

fool, and that I did not in the least perceive what he meant.

Then he walked about the room, and taking me by the hand, I walked with

him; and by and by, taking his advantage, he threw me down upon the

bed, and kissed me there most violently; but, to give him his due,

offered no manner of rudeness to me, only kissed a great while. After

this he thought he had heard somebody come upstairs, so got off from

the bed, lifted me up, professing a great deal of love for me, but told

me it was all an honest affection, and that he meant no ill to me; and

with that he put five guineas into my hand, and went away downstairs.

I was more confounded with the money than I was before with the love,

and began to be so elevated that I scarce knew the ground I stood on.

I am the more particular in this part, that if my story comes to be

read by any innocent young body, they may learn from it to guard

themselves against the mischiefs which attend an early knowledge of

their own beauty. If a young woman once thinks herself handsome, she

never doubts the truth of any man that tells her he is in love with

her; for if she believes herself charming enough to captivate him, 'tis

natural to expect the effects of it.